darkforcesmushfandomcom-20200213-history
Nicholas Grey
=Personality= Nicholas Grey has been said to be charismatic, charming, and generous. Certainly his employees tend to think so, although they also agree he can be a stickler, with an eye for efficiency. Though he's known to crack jokes, he can also be solemn, and his demeanor waxes intense when he's focused on something. Oftentimes he seems more tiger than wolf: powerful, confident, and biding his time. That is, of course, most days; there are other days where he seems almost manic, rushing from task to task and topic to topic. Though he won't admit it, his poor sleeping habits have made him a coffee fiend, and on those nights where he can't sleep, it shows. While it's not easy to get onto Nicholas's bad side, it's not particularly a walk in the park to get onto his good side either. He holds most people at arm's length, and though he's polite and genial, it's tough to get much more out of him than that. Much of his life, thoughts, feelings, and outlooks are kept a tight-lipped secret. More recently however, one person has gotten close to him and that would be Kennedy Parker. Though it was a long time in coming--four years to be exact--it's caused a transformation in the ragabash: he tends to be much warmer, cracks more jokes, and has, quite forcibly, opened up just a little. Though he still isn't the sharing type with friends or acquaintances, Kennedy gets the singular privilege of helping him tend to his thoughts. Public History Despite his friendly nature, there is much unknown about Nicholas Grey. As far as the garou around here know, Nicholas arrived five years ago on his Adren challenge bearing a battered but still living oak sapling and a plea of desperation. Upon planting his oak tree in the roof of a cement building downtown, he offered his chiminage to help it grow. And as it turns out, he never left. After three years of tending his tree, growing his business, and serving and protecting the Sept's various and sundry interests, he was promoted to beta by the former Glass Walker elder. Unfortunately in the recent banesplosion, the elder died, leaving him in charge of the tribe. Due to his interest in nature and the Wyld, he has challenged and been accepted for Groundskeeper, and makes trips every day to the Bawn to make sure it's well-tended. =Grey Incorporated= Once Nick planted his sapling in the building downtown, he started renovating the building and creating a green business. With solar panels and natural lighting and various calming elements within, its most striking feature is the garden he's grown on the roof under the shade of the cement-rooted oak tree. Ostensibly, Grey Inc. specializes in creating green solutions for other businesses, as well as exploring new green technology. He's reinforced this image with his stunning rooftop garden that serves as both vegetable garden for the residents of his company (unbeknownst to the public, Grey Inc also serves as the Walker safehouse and residence), and as a source of flowers for the various vases within the building. However, under the surface, the company does quite a bit of under the table work. It is rumored he has his fingers in many pies, though in which pies is largely unknown. = Playlist = Sheet Freebies Spent ;Attributes :5 to Dexterity (+1) ;Secondary Attributes :2 to Willpower (+2) :2 to Gnosis (+1) ;Abilities :2 to Research (+1) :2 to Subterfuge (+1) :2 to Science (+1) :8 to Vigilance (+4) :2 to Technology (+1) ;Backgrounds :3 to Rites :(Allies: 3 was free) ;Rites :None. ;Gifts :42 to Gifts Total: 70 Merits & Flaws ;Merit: Danger Sense :Because he's fairly small and wimpy, physically, for a Garou of his rank, he's developed a Danger Sense to help him learn to dodge and get out of the way before he's splatted on the ground. ;Merit: Local Ties :Nick is buddy-buddy with the Park Ranger Association that overlooks the Forest Reserve, and thus can pull strings to get people out of the park, etc. ;Merit: Fair Glabro :Self-explanatory. ;Flaw: Dark Fate :Nick is tortured by nightmares of his inevitable demise, in which he walks the Spiral and becomes a beast who revels in raping and murdering his old friends. Due to this, he struggles daily against the Wyrm, in particular where Spirals are concerned, and this is one of his hot buttons. ;Flaw: Strict Carnivore :Perhaps a little odd for a man so public, he often eats his meals as raw as he can get them. When in a position where he ought to be impressing people at a meal, he'll order his meat rare, possibly disguised in a sandwich. Specialties ;Charisma - Charming :Blurb to come. ;Dexterit - Twinkdoj Catlike Reflexes :Blurb to come. ;Leadership - Motivation :Blurb to come. ;Vigilance - Danger Sense :Blurb to come. Advancement ; Current +learn : * Stamina 2: 9/5/09 * From: Kennedy * Approved By: Fenris * Nicholas has been cajoled into training by Kennedy, after all the desserts he "forces" her to eat. Every morning at five-thirty now, she drags him out for a high-energy jog, and forces him to get past his limits. On top of that, given their new extra-business relationship, he's also, ahem, pushing his limits in the bedroom. Between these two things, he's got his work cut out for him. ; Current +teach : * Name: Date. * To: Student. * Approved By: Wizard * Explanation goes here. ; Advancement History : * List Previous Fetish ; Ignus Manus or the Hands of Fire (Shard of the Silent Circle; Level 5, Gnosis 8) : Like the Warders of Man of old, the Glass Walkers are personified by their proximity to humans, and thus by extension, their affinity for fire and reputation as the first creatures to master its use. Referred to by the Walkers as Ignis Manus (other tribes simply call them the hands of fire), the user may create fire at will and control any flames or source of fire in their immediate vicinity. This includes redirecting or even extinguishing balefire. *System: Attuning this fetish locks away one point of Gnosis (though the wearer maintains their normal rating). Wearing it reduces all fire damage to lethal rather than aggravated, allows the wearer to ignore any heat-related penalties, and adds 3 extra successes against any roll to resist Balefire. The wearer never frenzies from being damaged by fire or out of fear of fire. **To create fire: The wearer of these bracers must make a Willpower roll at varying difficulties; he always remains in control of any fire he creates unless a situation dictates otherwise, at which point opposing Willpower rolls should be made (or the wearer can just spend a Willpower point). The fire may manifest in any way that suits the wearer, though the difficulty of the initial willpower roll increases based on the amount of fire produced. Maintaining created fire for more than one turn requires the expenditure of a willpower each turn the wearer wishes to maintain the blaze. Naturally spreading fire need not be maintained in this way. **# Difficulty 2: A small flame on your thumb. **# Difficulty 4: A ball of fire or brief blast from the fist or fingertips. **# Difficulty 6: A brief cone of fire ignites all before you, or you surround yourself with a wall of flame. **# Difficulty 8: You summon a roaring inferno that engulfs those around you, or direct a searing, intense line of flame in a particular direction. **# Difficulty 10: You set yourself on fire (taking no damage) and the air around you erupts, engulfing your body in a sphere of destruction. **To control fire: The wearer of these bracers must make a Willpower roll at difficulty 7 to take control of a particular blaze (Balefire is difficulty 9); the number of successes determines the area of control. If there are two or more distinct sources of fire, this roll must be made against each of them separately. Controlling sustained fire not created by this fetish requires the wearer to remain still and concentrate to maintain control. Spending a Willpower point allows the wearer to take normal actions for a turn. If attacked or otherwise distracted, the control is lost (though it may be regained by another Willpower roll next turn). The number of blazes that can be controlled simultaneously is limited by the wearer's permanent Gnosis rating. Finally, the wearer may completely quench any blaze fully under their control (not partially) by focusing for a turn and spending a Willpower point regardless of the blaze's size. Any flames (including Balefire) that are not sustained and merely hurtling through the air may be quenched at will if the wearer gains control (one success). **# One Success: Your control of the blaze is limited to arm's reach. **# Two Successes: You may control a blaze about the size of a room. **# Three Successes: A medium-sized building. **# Four Successes: A city block. **# Five Successes: Three city blocks. **# Six Successes: An entire city. **Any fire created or controlled by these bracers cannot travel underwater or across bare stone, but can otherwise leap and twist in unnatural fashion. Fire not created by these bracers may only leap about fifteen feet away from their fuel. History Pre-First Change Nicholas was raised by a couple of kinfolk entrepreneurs in Aspen, CO. He was always a dark, sullen child, quiet but smart. He had a few close friends, but generally didn't get along well with most children, especially given his penchant for exceptionally rare--if not raw--meat. His preteen years were rocky and hormonal, but as he reached fifteen or sixteen he started to level out. Still, there was something else inside him burning to get out, something slightly different from hormones but equally frustrating. First Change His father finally took him aside one fine day when he was 16, and introduced him to his uncle, James Weaver-Breath, Fostern Ragabash. With his uncle, he was coaxed to a slow Firsting, without frenzy. It was a relief, figuring out how to channel the Rage. He was swiftly sent off to a nearby Caern with his uncle (Caern of Fire and Ice), to learn and grow. Cubhood He was first educated on the garou ways. He was always asking why, and frustrated with answers like 'because.' His elders found him precocious, and often irritating. His cubhood was short, as they mostly grilled him on the basics, when he emerged into his Rite of Passage. Rite of Passage: Cliath He was sent to retrieve a talen from the top of one of the ski slopes, without any human interference. He managed to navigate his way through the crowd and into the ski park, with a newly learned Blur of the Milky Eye. Then he made his way towards the top of the mountain, without using the ski lift. It took him a while, weak as he was (Stam 1), but after a day of climbing sneakily, he made it to the top. He searched the area and found that there was a small weatherworn box. Unfortunately, with the box, was a small jay spirit. It perched atop the box and refused to let him open it. He started trying to Persuade it, but it was too stubborn to allow it. He then restorted to reasoning, and finally offered his Gnosis to the spirit. It still refused. Finally, in frustration, he withdrew an LED flashlight he had in his pocket and held it out, activating it with CSM. The jay chirped and watched it, and when he threw it a few feet away, it flew after it. He then opened the chest, and revealed the talen: a carved bone ring. He quickly fled, down the slope, and back to his home Sept. Cliathhood Nicholas returned and finished his rite, presenting the talen to his elder. In Cliathhood, he started to really understand the Garou, and started to brighten up. He was Cliath for six months, easing into the culture and starting to really feel at home. He fought a few battles, did a little reconnaissance. He joined a pack -- Dark Moon, an infiltration pack under Magpie -- and soon began to itch for real rank. Challenge: Fostern His Fostern challenge was to win a game against his elder. As he played, applying all his wits, things kept happening that drew his attention away, or pieces would move seemingly by accident. Finally it dawned on him that something was up. A sly giggle over packchat alerted him to the source of the trickery and found his pack totem manipulating things from afar. After being found out, she demanded secrets in exchange for leaving it alone. So he turned to his elder and started up a conversation, leading it towards gossip the best he could. His elder knew what he was doing, and refrained from sharing anything. But then as the conversation went on and the game got more heated, and his elder got more distracted, he started a shouting match instead. Soon they argued heatedly and his elder let slip something about Nicholas's uncle. Appeased, the magpie left them to the game. Though Nicholas lost the chess game, he still outwitted his elder, and thus gained the rank of Fostern. Fosternhood It was just after he rited, however, that he found his father had died and left a sizable fortune to him. Now wondering what to do with himself, Nicholas dedicated much of his fosternhood to learning gifts and useful rites. He furthered his pack's interests, helped teach new cubs, and started taking strong leadership roles in his Sept. He became alpha of Dark Moon, and led his pack against a Pentex initiative. He was soon held in high regard. He was a Fostern five years, and by maturing, he became a smart, witty individual, with a talent for mindgames. After a few years, an umbral disturbance wracked the Sept, and he started having nightmares of the Apocalypse, and soon of his own fate within it. They were vivid, disturbing, and he felt fearful of what was to come. He felt the urge to use his mind and his talents to fortify the city, but he didn't know how. Eventually he learned of a small knot of Garou in his Sept: the City Farmers. Preserving the balance between Wyld and Weaver seemed an excellent way to fortify something against the Wyrm's madness. He began a Green initiative in Aspen. He started picking up books, on green technology, on managing a business, on being a good leader. This went on for two years as he worked with the City Farmers, and then he felt he was ready to challenge for Adren. Challenge: Adren The person he challenged for Adren was none other than the head of the City Farmer faction of Fire and Ice. He was given an oak sapling, and instructed to carry it all the way to Crystal Springs without it dying, and then find an urban place to plant it. In order to do so, he'd have to find the resident Don and one other garou, and convince them to help him. He set out. On the journey he was beset by banes, vengeful Wyrmthings, and other assorted baddies. It took all his resourcefulness to get away without destroying the sapling or himself. The trip took a week and a half, as he had to travel on foot and without much running power. When he finally arrived, he pitched his idea to the Don, who was not terribly impressed. Chiminage was demanded in return, and after reciting his skills and ambitions, the Don begrudgingly agreed on one condition: that he would stay long enough to nurture the oak into a healthy tree. Nicholas agreed. The two of them then easily convinced a third party to join in and they headed towards an abandoned brick building in the middle of the city. Between the three of them, Nicholas did the Rite of Growth and planted the sapling in the concrete roof of the building. Then, true to his word, he notified Fire and Ice of his delay, and stuck around. There was a visit from his elder, ending the Challenge and declaring him Adren. Adrenhood: Crystal Springs Nicholas used his resources to purchase the building, and started renovating it. Using his knowledge, he started setting up a business there and simultaneously tending a garden on the roof. It became his City Farmer haven, as well as a place to employ and house kin and other Walkers. After a lot of work and care, it evolved into Grey Incorporated, a business dedicated to Green solutions for other companies. After he'd stayed there three years tending the tree, and grooming his business, the Walker elder approached him and as Nicholas was the highest other ranking member in the tribe, was dubbed Beta if he wanted to officially stay as a member. He agreed. A year afterwards, during which Nicholas avidly began making allies and connections in the city. He befriended the Rangers for the Forest Reserve via his company, and put himself forward as a champion of nature to the mundane populace. His building became known in the news as a green haven, though the living quarters within (accessed via an access panel hidden in the elevator) were known only to members of the Sept. But as the Sept fought in the Recurrence, the elder fell, leaving leadership to Nicholas. He's figured out mostly how to fill the shoes, but he's still trying to keep abreast of things. = Friends, Enemies, & Acquaintances = Excerpts from File: Godzilla/C:/My Documents/Encrypted/Community.doc ;Aaron Godwin ;Status - Enemy (Truce) :Nickname - Goddamn Vampire :I can't say how much I'd love to wipe that smug smile off his goddamn face. He's been rather suspiciously helpful lately. I don't know what he's thinking, but I don't like it. ;Beryl Jones ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :I've only met her the once but she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Most Gurahl would, I suppose. ;Branwen Wilde ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - Representative of the Queen of Whatsit :I'm willing to believe she's Fae, I guess. That aside, she's still kin, and I have a duty to look after them. ;Cordelia Moriarty ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :She seems alright. The excitement expressed over seeing Urick was vaguely baffling. But I suppose if I saw Moon's-Milk again, I'd be about as chuffed. Nice kid. Heals well. ;David Green ;Status - Friend :Nickname - None :Ah David. If I had a best friend, he'd be it. He sometimes seems utterly amoral, but he's really a good man at heart. Also a very interesting man. A ragabash if I've ever seen one. ;Desmond Richter ;Status - Friend :Nickname - None :Desmond is an interesting creature. I was unaware Ajaba still existed before I met him. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders though; and thank god he's around. Umbral stuff is not my forte. ;Doriane Avina ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :Dori is ... a Corax through and through. If she doesn't one day run into a glass door, I will eat my shoe. ;Ishmael Chavez ;Status - Friend :Nickname - None :Ishmael is a good theurge. I'm lucky to have his help as well. He also seems to have some interesting, noisy hobbies. A Walker after my own heart. ;Jocelyn Reynard-Wellington ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :I'm fairly certain Jocelyn is David's, to some extent. That's good: he needs some stability in his damn life. And she's quite the pretty kin to do it. ;Jon Doe ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - That Cub :Jon's a good kid, if a little misguided. He's kind of like a monkey. I keep wanting to shake him. Probably the hallmark of a good ragabash. ;Kennedy Parker ;Status - Fiancée :Nickname - (You don't want to hear them) :Ah Kenny. Without her, my head would fall off my shoulders and roll away. She keeps me in line, shares my deepest secrets...I'm pretty much the luckiest son of a bitch ever. ;Marian Jallas ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - Bloody Mary; Mary :I don't know Mary that well, but I know Hamilton's her enemy which makes her my friend. Why she had the Stargazer fetish inside her is beyond me, but. That's fixed now. Sort of. ;Michael Corelion ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - Sword Guy :Sword Guy is ... suspicious. He started yammering all that Technocratic babble when Kennedy got shot, then offered help to keep Xander out of the Technocracy's hands. I don't know what to think about him, but I think he's a friend. ;Nero Lin ;Status - Enemy :Nickname - Creepy Asian Dude :Creepy Asian Dude is with Hamilton. I'm pretty certain he's one of Hammy's world-benders, the fucker. He'll get his. ;Roman Akana ;Status - Friend :Nickname - None :Roman somehow managed to get Sept Alpha. I would have argued previously but it would have been two siblings squabbling over a toy. There was nothing left to lord over. Now that it's feasible, I find I really don't want Sept Alpha. He can keep it. He's doing a fair enough job anyways. ;Rosalind Jaffe ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - Lady at the Tavern :The Tavern Lady was pretty nice. Makes an excellent scotch. Would go back again. ;Sebastian Reed ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :Sebastian seems to have his heart in the right place, though he sometimes is a little bumbly. Kind of like me, I suppose. He's connected to Mary somehow. ;Starcaller ;Status - Friend :Nickname - Goddamn Lupus :Stars is loopy as hell. He only seems like he's in his body half the time. If a wolf could have ADD, he'd have it. But he's also a helpful son of a bitch, so. He's saved my ass a bit. I gotta give him that. ;Urick Garret ;Status - Friend :Nickname - The Wall :Urick is...huge. And he heads a pack that has kin in it. I used to find the idea distasteful but I think I'm starting to realize it's not just our war. Urick's a good guy though. Has all the right ideals. ;~White-Out~ ;Status - Friend :Nickname - None :Poor White-Out. Caught by Spirals and yanked away from her mother. God, do I feel for her. She's a skittish little thing but hopefully she'll grow into a proper tricksy ragabash. And grow out of her dreadful affection for Aaron. Yuck. ;Winnifred Foster ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :The local medical examiner is a world-bender. At least she seems to be an amenable one. Doesn't know a lot about us, though. That's probably a good thing. Still if she can help us fudge Veil Breach... ;Xander Young ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :Kennedy's friend from college. He apparently got snatched by the Technocracy and cut off. I imagine that'd be what it's like to have Stolen Wolf, or something. Or maybe it's worse? The poor guy's pretty shaken. I'm taking a huge chance letting him stay with us but... I can't just leave the guy in the cold. Fucking bleeding heart. ;Zeke Shelton ;Status - Acquaintance :Nickname - None :Zeke's an old contact. I know he had nothing to do with the big blow-up, so. That's good. He gives me the news once in a while, and apparently he works at the Toothless Gryphon now. Good for him. Category:Current PCs Category:Ragabashes Category:Adrens Category:Homid Category:Garou Category:Glass Walkers